This invention relates to a brush device adapted for dispensing a treatment substance during brush usage. It particularly relates to a hair brush having an apertured body portion with a cavity therein containing an absorbent structure and treatment substance to be dispensed during use to treat the hair of a user.
Many times in the grooming or treating of the hair, substances are dispensed into or otherwise applied to the hair for various purposes. Combs and hairbrushes are known that include means for dispensing such substances in a liquid or solid carrier during the combing or brushing operations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,336,717 to Crimmins discloses a hair treating device having an elongated channel provided in the body for receiving a removable container filled with a fluid for treating the hair and scalp. U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,027 to Caldwell discloses a dispensing brush with a chamber containing a porous material impregnated with a treatment substance. U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,679 to Wright discloses a brush for grooming hair which provides a layer of conditioning material adjacent the base of the bristles to interact with the hair during brushing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,158 to Blair et al discloses a hair brush having a plurality of apertures therein and adapted for blow waving of hair but without providing a conditioning material. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,032 to Misercola discloses a vented hair brush intended for use in cooperation with a hot air blow dryer.
Other prior art brush constructions which have been considered of general interest to show the state of the art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,159,789; 1,235,404; and 3,843,990.
These known prior art brushes each have various deficiencies in use. Although some brush designs are arranged to provide a grooming material for the hair, the means usually provided for transferring the grooming material to the hair and/or scalp is ineffective. Other brush designs such as those described by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,030,158 and 4,076,032 are designed to facilitate their use with a hot air hair dryer for styling, but they do not dispense any grooming or treatment material to the hair and scalp. However, these deficiencies in prior art brushes have now been advantageously overcome by the present invention.